


The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway

by Gabbeeh



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Arc Reactor Issues, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Cold Weather, Fluff, Gen, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Avengers, Protective Steve Rogers, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, Well protective everyone really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 18:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9914960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabbeeh/pseuds/Gabbeeh
Summary: It's cold and Tony and Bucky seem intent on skipping team training to hang out on the couch instead. Then there's a call to assemble and a kidnapping happens.Oh, and do you realize how uncomfortable it would be to have a piece of metal attached to your shoulder or stuck in your chest when it's winter?





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this happened.
> 
> It could be a very cuddly friendship, or it could be seen as Bucky/Tony - it's entirely up to you.
> 
> I want to add that anything even slightly sciencey or medical is straight from the internet and English isn't actually my first language. Any mistakes are my own, constructive criticism appreciated!
> 
> Also, I own nothing, other than my imagination...

They’re sitting on the couch on the common floor when Steve finds them. The two brunets are sitting close together, burrowed under a blanket and looking incredibly cozy, the swirling of snowflakes obscuring the view through the windows behind them. There’s a sense of rightness to it - when are you supposed to cuddle up under a blanket if not in winter? Still, Steve thinks, they’re supposed to be training with the rest of the team. Not playing hooky in front of the TV.

”And why exactly would mandatory team training not apply to you two?”

Tony flinches at the sound of his voice and curls in on himself with a sound not unlike a kitten mewing. Bucky’s flesh arm goes around his shoulders in a protective gesture and Steve's stomach tightens uncomfortably. Something’s wrong.

”It’s practically a snowstorm outside.” Bucky's voice is soft and he’s not looking at Steve, instead staring blankly at the TV.

”What’s that got to do with anything?”

”Thermal conductivity.” Tony’s voice is rough and for once he doesn’t seem inclined to go off on a rant that would explain things to Bruce and make Steve more confused. Neither of the men on the couch seem keen on elaborating and he gets a feeling that he really shouldn’t push them right now. Instead he heads back down to the gym, hoping the rest of the team can shed some light over the situation.

Clint and Natasha are sparring when the elevator doors open, and Wanda and Vision seems to be deep in conversation. Everyone looks up questioningly when he enters the gym alone. Bruce quickly gets on his feet, so maybe his unease is showing better than he thought.

He recounts his brief conversation with the ex-assassin and the billionaire. The others frown and Natasha raises a thoughtful eyebrow, but it’s Bruce, whose face lights up in understanding and worry.

”Thermal conductivity”, he explains, and it’s exactly as helpful to Steve as it was the first time he heard it. Seeing his obvious confusion and slight irritation Bruce continues. ”Metal often feels colder than other materials because it removes heat quicker from your body. If you were outside in this weather and you grabbed something made of metal, it would feel much colder than the air around you. Now imagine having something made of metal in direct contact with or _inside_ your body.”

Oh. _Oh_. ”So Buck and Tony, they’re…”

”They’re probably hurting pretty badly right now.” Bruce looks distinctly unhappy with the situation.

Clint opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by the blaring alarm.

”JARVIS, what’s the situation?”

”SHIELD’s Rhode Island Division appears to be under attack, Captain. Shall I patch you through to director Fury?”

”Why would SHIELD need a division in Rhode Island of all places”, Steve can't help muttering to himself while getting into uniform and grabbing his shield. ”Yeah, sure, go ahead JARVIS.”

Focused on the mission, he lets the worry for Tony and Bucky slip into the background of his mind. For now.

 

*°*°*°*°*°*

 

While logically moving should help him warm up, being out in the cold has the direct opposite effect on him. If Tony was fighting any more on autopilot it would be JARVIS controlling the suit. His chest is aching, making his breath hitch with temporary panic, because what if it never stops?

But then Clint is falling through the air and he’s distracted from the pain because someone has to save Hawke-eye’s ass, and Tony vows to call him Hawke-ass from now on out. And then something goes boom and isn’t that weird - it’s usually Tony making things go boom - and the world kind of tilts and goes black.

 

*°*°*°*°*°*

 

When Bucky wakes up the first thing he notices is how his shoulder is kind of halfway between screaming at him and going numb. Then he notices that someone is breathing way too close to his face. He freezes, the winter soldier fuming at him for not noticing right away in the back of his mind. But the breathing pattern and heartbeat both seam familiar and then there’s a voice in his ear that he would recognize anywhere.

”Buck? Hey, you need to wake up. Come on, open your eyes!”

It’s Steve’s voice and Bucky remembers the blind trust he used to have for the guy, back _before_. Though it seems nothing HYDRA did could remove it completely because he finds himself lifting his eyelids and trying to sit up.

Steve looks stressed. He’s noticeably relieved that Bucky is awake and helps him getting into a sitting position on the cold stone floor, but his forehead is wrinkled and he seems pretty uneasy. And why is he on a stone floor anyway? Bucky quickly scans the room. It’s pretty small and windowless, a thick steel door the only way in and out. There’re two cots bolted to the walls, and a thin curtain which seems to be hiding a bathroom. It’s a prison cell, he realizes and tries to suppress the cold bolt of fear along his spine.

In the cell are five people. There’s him and Steve, Clint pacing in front of the door and Natasha bent over the still form of Tony, still in the Iron Man armor. A shiver runs through him, this time of cold. The stone floor and his bitingly cold metal arm really aren’t doing him any favors. He can only imagine what Tony must feel like.  _Tony._

He more or less crawls over to the armor. The faceplate is open and Tony is still unconscious, though his breathing is better than Bucky had dared to hope.

”Let’s get him out of the armor”, he murmurs and Natasha and Steve are immediately on with the program, Clint coming over and kneeling with them.

Before they even find the manual latches of the powerless armor Tony’s breathing stutters and he lets out a soft groan. His eyes fly open but they’re staring at nothing, obviously not seeing the people crouched around him. His breathing is getting faster and he seems to be trying to move, but the dead armor locks him in place.

”Hey shh”, Bucky murmurs. ”You’re okay. You’re with your team, with the avengers. Try to slow your breathing.”

The arc reactor is probably pretty painful for Tony in this cold and Bucky knows enough about Tony's past to understand why chest pains and being unable to move would make him panic. So he keeps talking while finally finding the manual latches for the armor and then he’s pulling Tony up into his... well, arm - he’s not going to make him colder by letting the metal one touch him. But they’re chest to chest, hopefully warming up the reactor a bit and Tony's face is pressed against his neck and Bucky feels himself relaxing a bit, despite the prison cell.

”Well, that looks cozy.”

Bucky opens one eye to glare at Clint before burrowing his face deeper into Tony's hair.

”Today is a really bad day to be part cyborg”, says Tony, making Bucky relax further, knowing Tony is more or less okay.

”Yeah, Bruce said as much.” Steve sounds tense. ”So, how do you propose we get out of here?”

 

*°*°*°*°*°*

 

Tony doesn’t really listen while the others try to hammer out a plan. The Obie-shaped flashback earlier has taken a lot out of him, and with the cell being so cold, every breath makes a burning pain shoot across his sternum. He knows his breathing is too shallow - he’s starting to get dizzy with lack of oxygen - but he can’t make himself take a deeper breath.

A tickle in his throat makes him freeze up, and next thing he knows he’s doubled over coughing. The pain searing through his ribs makes the world white out for a moment. The shrapnel must have been knocked loose or something because his chest is being _shredded_. All he can hear is his own heart beating in his ears and it's still hurting, why doesn't it stop and  _fuck_ _._  Okay. Shit. Try to breathe.

Voices slowly trickle back into his consciousness, followed by the feeling of supporting hands on his back and arms.

”Hey, _breathe!_ Really slow, that’s it. You’re okay, just breathe.”

That is Bucky's voice practically whispering in his ear. A warm hand starts rubbing carefully over his chest and he melts into the touch. _Heaven_.

”Okay, new plan!” That's Steve. The hand stops rubbing for a moment, making Tony let out a pitiful whine. ”Sorry”, Steve murmurs and the hand starts moving again, trying to warm up the reactor. ”We try to keep them warm and wait for help. Vision, Wanda and Bruce are hopefully working on rescuing us right now, Thor if they’ve gotten a hold of him.”

Keep _them_ warm? Oh. _Bucky_. Tony tries to turn so he can help Bucky, because his _shoulder_ , but firm hands keep him in place.

”We’ve got him, Tony”, Clint says softly. ”Just focus on breathing.”

”Just relax, котенок.”

Tony lets his eyes slip closed.

 

*°*°*°*°*°*

 

Steve lets out a sigh of relief when the cell door slams open, revealing Wanda and Thor. Tony's lips are turning blue from cold and lack of oxygen and his breathing is strained, even in his sleep. Bucky is in obvious pain, but ignoring it in favor of staring worriedly at Tony. He’s keeping the metal arm as far away from Tony and himself as he possibly can, while Natasha is massaging his shoulder, trying to get the blood flowing properly.

They waste no time getting the hell away from this freezing cell.

 

*°*°*°*°*°*

 

The couch is filled with superheroes, both recently cleared from medical and over-all healthy ones. There are blankets and hot chocolate to counteract the whirling snow outside the window. Tony is hugging a heating pad to his chest, Buckys flesh arm around his shoulders, Steve practically lying on top of Bucky, his superhuman heat the perfect antidote for a cold metal arm. Clint is lying on the back of the couch, head leaning against Natashas red locks, where she is curled up on Tonys other side. Bruce is on the floor, leaning against Tonys legs, Wanda next to him. Thor is balancing precariously on the arm of the extra sturdy couch and Vision is just heading in through the doorway with the last cup of hot chocolate in his hands. The TV is playing Lord of the Rings and this time the occupants of the couch are actually watching, no longer too distracted by pain to care about what’s happening on the screen.

There’s a sense of rightness to it - when are you supposed to cuddle up under a blanket if not in winter? And while the fellowship tries and fails to climb a mountain in a snowstorm, Steve hums contentedly and burrows closer to his family.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and have a great day! <3


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